Effects of THC and CBD on Human Episodic Memory Function

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Healthy Volunteers
• Interventions: Drug: Tetrahydrocannabinol; Drug: Cannabidiol; Drug: placebo

• Registration Number: NCT02291562
• Lead Sponsor: Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim

Brief Summary

THC and CBD have distinct symptomatic and behavioral effects. In healthy individuals, THC can induce psychotic symptoms and anxiety, and can impair memory. In contrast, CBD has anxiolytic and possibly antipsychotic properties, while not impairing memory and other cognitive functions. Instead, CBD has been shown to have significant neuroprotective effects. In humans, CBD values correlated positively with gray matter concentration in bilateral hippocampus. Recent data from experimental animals and in vitro studies suggest that these distinct effects might be caused by opposing effects on brain cannabinoid receptors.

Neuroimaging studies have consistently identified brain activity recorded at prefrontal and medial temporal regions as relevant for episodic memory. Additionally, the abundance of cannabinoid receptors in the hippocampus and the parahippocampal and entorhinal cortices suggests a potential impact of CBD in memory deficits typical in healthy aging. However, the evidence relating cannabinoids to these conditions is relatively recent and has been obtained from either biochemical or pharmacological studies. It might be hypothesized that CBDs could be useful to delay or even arrest the progression of functional and structural neuronal degeneration.

The investigators will use an episodic memory paradigm to test the effects of THC, CBD and placebo on memory encoding and retention and the underlying neuronal networks on healthy male subjects.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2014-07
• Status Verified: 2014-11
• Study First Submitted: 2014-11-11
• Study First Submitted QC: 2014-11-13
• Study First Posted: 2014-11-14
• Primary Completion: 2014-12
• Study Completion: 2014-12
• Last Update Submitted: 2015-01-15
• Last Update Posted: 2015-01-16

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Male
• Target Recruitment: 20

Inclusion Criteria

• no acute or chronic disease

Exclusion Criteria

• opioid intake
• medication or drug abuse
• kidney or liver dysfunction
• claustrophobia
• none removable metallic parts (e.g. hip replacement)

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Tetrahydrocannabinol	Tetrahydrocannabinol	10 mg of Tetrahydrocannabinol as capsule (once)
Cannabidiol	Cannabidiol	600 mg Cannabidiol capsule (once)
placebo	placebo	placebo capsule (once)

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Changes in BOLD (blood oxygen level dependent) responses	immediate	Differential changes of the BOLD response under the three different conditions (THC, CBD, placebo) during the learning and the test phase of the memory paradigm

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Changes in behavioral measures	immediate	Differential changes in reaction times and number of correct responses during the three different conditions (THC, CBD, placebo)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Central Institute of Mental Health; 🇩🇪 Mannheim, Germany